Never Forget You
by nimij
Summary: Trips back to your childhood home are never easy. And for Chihiro, they are especially hard.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Chihiro Ogino woke up to the sound of the rain pounding on the roof. She groaned into her pillow, still on end from the unsettling dream she had been immersed in.

 _She was on the other side of the bank. The human side. Only this time, there was water flowing through the rocks. On the other side, she saw a silver and teal dragon curled up on the grassy banks. She smiled and stepped foot in the river, determined to get across to Haku. But as soon as she put her other foot into the river, it swept her downstream. She called out his name, beseeching him to come help her, to look at her, to just turn and around and at least acknowledge that something- anything was there, but he simply sat there looking straight ahead. All the while, the water current was getting stronger and stronger, until her hands finally slipped off of the rock, and she drifted away._

She shivered, still feeling the ice cold current pulsing around her. Snuggling deeper in to the bed, she tried to shake the feeling off, already knowing how inevitable it was that she was going to be out of it today. _Well, more out of it than usual, anyways._

These dreams always occurred when she least expected it, with, as usual, impeccably bad timing. She had her last final today in her least favorite class. Calculus II. She had always disliked math in general, but it was the last of the requirements she had to pass to become an environmental scientist,so when it came down to it, she gritted her teeth and got through the strenuous course. _Almost through,_ she reminded herself gently. She still had to take the final today.

Looking across the room, she saw that Mamiko was still sleeping.

 _Lucky girl. She finished her finals yesterday. Well, the ones she was planning on going to, anyway._

Chihiro put her hair up in a ponytail, using her shiny purple hair tie. Even after thirteen years, it still had the same ethereal glow it had when she had first put it on. With that, she was out the door. She grabbed a cup of coffee from a nearby cafe, and walked briskly to her class. Even so, she was late. Ms. Amara gave her a reproachful look as she burst into the classroom. Ignoring her classmates stares, she walked to the back of the classroom, where she sat as far away from everyone as possible.

"-as I was saying, this is not going to be an easy final. I highly recommend that you pace yourself. If you get stuck on a question, move on. No electronics are…."Her voice faded into background noise as Chihiro propped her head on her elbows. She had always been easily distracted, but today she simply could not put any effort into paying attention to Ms. Amaras long, monotone, pre-test talks. Too much was on her mind.

"You may begin."

She hastily flipped over the packet resting on her desk, ready be over with what she was sure was going to be two of the longest and most stressful hours of her life.

Unlocking the door to their apartment,she saw Mamiko waiting with two cups of tea.

"So, how'd it go? You do ok?"

"Define ok…" She mumbled morosely.

Mamiko laughed. " I'm sure it'll be fine. I mean, you only had to get twenty one percent to pass the class. Be glad it wasn't thirty percent though."

"Why?"

"Because you would for sure fail. Sad bu-Ow!" Chihiro laughed, glad that her inner turmoil loosen a bit. Her gaze returned to her cup of tea. She stared at the swirls of steam curling from it, twisting their way up to the sky. The curling steam always reminded her of the smooth elegance in which a dragon flys. She smiled sadly. Even in her tea, the dragons never stayed.

"-and anyways, if we need more stuff, we can always take a trip to your parents house, right?"

"Right."

Mamiko touched Chihiros shoulder gently. " Alright, what's going on with you today?"

Chihiro smiled wryly. _You know, the usual. I still have dreams about a boy who is, by the way, a dragon i'm in love with. Oh and my childhood town? Not going to make it any better._

"Just a whole lot of memories going back is going to dredge up, is all."

"Hmm. Interesting. Of who?"

" I didn't say it reminded me of anyone!"

"Well, you didn't. But i've found that most the time, you don't love or hate the place itself, but the humans you've met there."

Chihiro made a sound of exasperation. "Fine! Yes! There is someone but-I just-"

"Its ok, sweetie. I know. You're talking about _him,_ right?"

" _Him?_ "

" The reason that no matter how cute or kind or nice a boy is to you, you push them away...and the reason you've avoided going back to your home."

She nodded, the lump in her throat constricting. Mamiko reached under the table, and squeezed her hand. That was all it took. The tears she had been holding in were released in a steady stream. Because, finally someone understood (most of it anyways).

Around fifteen minutes later, Chihiro was simply heaving dry sobs. When Mamiko asked if she wanted to talk about it, she simply shook her head. Mamiko attempted some humor to cheer her up, but Chihiro just sat there hiccuping.

"Alright, get up Chihiro!No more whining!"

Chihiro jumped, clearly surprised by her change into someone who sounded like a drill sergeant. "After my ill-fated attempts at humor clearly flopped, I have realized the one solution to this cream, candy, and some movies. Now, I am going to go out to the store to get them. You will stay here and pack!"

"But-"

"No more crying either! Pity will not get you any aid, admiration at your refusal to give in does!" She ended this statement with a rather pompous pose. Chihiro made a noise between a snicker and a sob. "Aid from who? What does that _even_ mean in this situation?!"Slowly she started to laugh a breathy laugh, a bit louder and wheezier than normal, but then again, she didn't feel normal, she felt delirious.

"You do-" She said between laughs " Realize I have-" She heaved a breath "-read the hunger games, right?"

"Aw, bugger." She slapped her head. " Well, even if it didn't have the expected result, i'm glad you're not crying. I used the wrong quote too, judging by your reaction."

"Better luck next time,Suzanne."

"Funny. Alright, see you soon!" And, grabbing her umbrella from the gold umbrella stand, she was out the door.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Hakus POV

Around 5 am, after things at the bathhouse lulled down quickly, he slipped out of his rooms paper doors onto the balcony, the cool night air blowing his hair softly. He stood on the railing and then fell through the air. Rising up again, he felt the cool dampness of the clouds along his scales. This was his favorite time of day. It was the only time he truly felt like he was himself.

Watching some tree tops go by, he slowed his pace down, recognizing the speck of light in the distance that was his destination. He dove down, his tail whipping against the hopping lamp as he went by. He landed abruptly, right at the door. He could hear it following him to the wooden door, where he stood waiting for it to open, which it did, creaking gently open.

"You keep landing like that Haku, and you're going to shake my windows right out of their frames" He looked over to the old lady rocking peacefully, knitting what he could only identify as socks.

Giving a short bow in her direction, he waited. Trying to be patient. When there was no answer, he said,

"Zeniba."

"Yes, Haku dear?"

"Well?"

"Well, what?" She stopped rocking, suddenly looking at him with surprising intensity.

" You know why I'm here."

"Not really, I'm getting on in age, my dear, and I forget things. Remind me?"

He narrowed his eyes to slits. _This senile old woman. She didn't forget, she just wants me to ask her._

With detached politeness, he asked " How is Chihiro doing?" His face was blank, but he felt a little rush of panic settle at the top of his chest, like he did each time he asked the question.

"Well, she's been better, but she's also been worse." He sighed in relief. Nodding to Zeniba, and to No-Face, who was sweeping the floor, he made his way to the door.

"She's back in town, you know." He stopped walking. "What?" He mumbled, trying to rein in his emotions. _It couldn't be._

"She's going to be here for the summer. So, are you going to be keeping your promise, or are you too busy with _her?_ " Somehow, Haku knew she wasn't talking about Chihiro. Struggling to keep his voice calm, but managing well enough, he stared at the wood grain, refusing to look Zeniba in the eye.

"That's none of your business."

With that, he flew out the door, leaving a trail of debris in his wake.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 Tochinoki**

"Chihiro. CHIHIRO. Wake up!" Sleepily she opened her eyes, only to close them again at the bright sunlight. Groaning, she covered her eyes with her hands.  
"Were here, Chi."

She opened her eyes, but the only thing she could see was the grey colour of the felt on the car's hood. A bitter chuckle rose to her lips. _Ironic. Just like last time._

Slowly, she sat up and glanced out the window. As she directed Mamiko to the only hotel in her hometown, she watched her childhood flash by, as if they were pictures preserved in time. The boy that asked her out by giving her bright colored Konpeito candys, only to have her burst into tears outside of their small school. Her first friends, who embraced her weirdness, listening to her stories about fire-breathing witches, and kind dragons, sitting in the cafe window telling each other who they were going to marry one day…

They pulled to a stop in front of the Tochinoki Inn, their car parked on the side of the dirt road. The inn smelled like magnolias and dust, an interesting combination. As Mamiko was checking out the gift shop, Chihiro stepped up to the desk to check them in.

"Hi. Ogino and Nakai checking in for the summer." The lady working behind the desk looked up briefly, looked back down, and then looked back up.

"Oh, my god! Chihiro?!"

"Yeah. Um sorry, who are you?"

"Hinata!"

 _Oh great. I just happen to choose the day when my nemesis is working? What are the odds?!_

"Hi! It's been so long. How are you doing?"

"Amazing. Is Ms Nakai your auntie?" She asked in a saccharine sweet voice, smiling her trademark wide, fake smile, and nodding to the old lady. _That-_ She slid the keys across to her. Chihiro snatched them up eagerly, ready to be done with the conversation.

"No, actually! Mamiko, come on, I've got our room keys. You can buy your gifts later!" Chihiro yelled, starting to feel a little panicky.

"No, no. I've got a question for the lady." Mamiko looked at Hinata, her blue eyes flashing dangerously. _Uh oh. This cannot be good._

"Yes?"Hinata simpered.

"Do you guys sell anything for the smell? I have a rather sensitive nose. Actually... it 's stronger here for some reason… Oh wait, it's _you._ Oh well, guess we can't change the smell then, come on Chi, let's go." And flashing her a smiled that reminded one of teeth baring, she grabbed Chihiro by the arm and dragged her to the staircase.

As soon as they got into their rooms, Chihiro whisper-yelled.

" _What was THAT FOR?!"_

"I heard your whole conversation with her. She was totally taking a jab at you! At uni, you when someone pissed you off, you always told them off! Why not her?"

She rubbed her temples. "I didn't want to start anything, but given the little _episode_ you pulled down there..."

"Yes! Also, I'm going to dress you up!Also, you don't have a choice, because we are going to this town's only steakhouse!"

"Alright, but you have to promis-no swear to me something."

"Depends on what I'm swearing…."

"Please don't cake my face in make-up and dress me like a sleazy girl….."

"Well, of course not!" Mamiko smiled. "That wouldn't make you look good at all! Come on, we're trying for some class here! We aren't trying to look like Hinata, after all."

Reluctantly, Chihiro smiled. "Ok."

Three hours later they were seated at a small table overlooking the whole main street.

"Gosh, for a small town, this place gets really busy at night! It reminded me of a ghost town this afternoon!" Chihiro snorted, earning a chastising look from her friend.

"You think this is crowded? It's not even 'tourist hour' yet! "

"Tourist hour?"

"Yeah. The only reason this town has survived for so long! The water from the nearby rivers are supposed to be lucky because some spirit released their essence into the water, and there are some nice woods up ahead as well."

"Lucky water, you say? Well, we are definitely visiting there!"

They flowed into easy conversation, talking about the guy that Mamiko was currently in love with, and all the stuff that went down at the graduation after-party. She started to relax, especially after drinking two glasses of wine, which she had acquired a taste for after spending a year in California to learn English.

Because Mamiko was being Mamiko, she had decided to buy the most expensive thing on the menu, and the chef personally came out to talk to her about her meal.

A brown haired, hazel eyed man walked out of the kitchen and came to their table. "Hello! I will be cooking your meals today. What are your names?"

"Hello! I'm Mamiko!" She said, smiling brightly.

"And this beautiful young woman is?"

"Hmm? Oh! Chihiro."

The man did a double take. "Wait, are you from here? I think I was one of your classmates!"

"Mmm. Probably. I doubt we were friends. You look far too good to have really known me." It almost seemed like she was flirting, but honestly, she was bored. Chihiro was suddenly glad that Mamiko had helped her get ready. It turned out, she felt far more confident when she was wearing the stuff Mamiko had lent her. She was in a Marilyn Monroe-esque white dress, and her hair was done in soft ringlets that Mamiko had brushed out. Mamiko had then brushed some powders on her face and declared her done. The final thing to complete her outfit was something non-negotiable in Chihiro's eyes, as she would not take it off, for fear of losing it. To some, it looked like a piece of on abalone shell, to others a luminescent nail, but to Chihiro, it was the thing that proved of the existence of the spirit world. For, hanging around her neck on a thin silver chain, was a dragon scale.

"Well, it is wonderful to see you again. You've certainly changed. Not that you weren't lovely before, of course." He said smoothly, giving her a smile that would have melted most women's hearts. Chihiro however, barely managed to muster a smile. Making a feeble excuse about having to use the bathroom, she exited the table as quickly as she could without appearing like she was trying to escape.

By the time she was finished in the restroom, her old classmate/their waiter had left. Mamiko knew better than to pry into what just happen, glossing over the moment by showing her the cute dog that was sitting outside waiting for its owner. The conversation gradually faded into the amiable silence of two people chewing on food. As they were leaving the restaurant, she looked back to see her classmate watching her from the kitchen opening. Noticing her gaze, he quickly returned to the kitchen, nearly bumping into a tall waitress, who swooped gracefully around him. She left, trying to place the reason she felt so uncomfortable around him.

They walked two miles back to the hotel, the balmy night air and cicadas making the world seem at peace. The old cobbled streets were difficult to manage, but she was full of determination. It didn't stop Mamiko from laughing at her, claiming that Chihiro reminded her of a 'drunken sailor' when she tried to walk in the stilettos on the bumpy roads. As soon as they got to the room, however, they were too exhausted to even brush their teeth, barely even able to get their painful shoes off their sore and blistered feet. Chihiro stumbled into her pyjama top and shorts, gladly succumbing to a wondrous thing called sleep.

Around one the next afternoon, they drove to Chihiro's parent's house. She smiled at the peaceful scene that greeted her. Her mom, to whom age hadn't marred her beauty, but rather changed it to face with gentle wisdom that set most at peace, was sleeping in the rocking chair outside, and her dad, who had mellowed out a bit, was chopping vegetables by the window that faced the small, cobbled street. Hearing the gate to their house open, her mom opened her eyes. Seeing that it was Chihiro, she jumped out of her chair with the agility of a much younger woman, pouncing on Chihiro like a human cat. After squeezing her for a time she deemed long enough, she held Chihiro at an arm's length, looking her up and down.

"My Chihiro. How you've grown! Come on, we're making your favourite food, salmon teriyaki!"

Chihiro perked up. No restaurant could ever compare with her Mom's famous teriyaki sauce. Eager to say hi to dad and escape her mom's questions (For now), she introduced Mamiko to her mom, because she knew that her mom would have a lot of questions for her, given that she was the only person she had been close with since middle school. Bursting into the house, she saw her father dash to the front hallway. Seeing her, he ran across the hall and engulfed her in a bear hug.

She smiled "Hey, Dad."

"Chihiro! Hows my little girl doing?" He boomed, smiling widely.

"Pretty good! I'm applying for a job not too far from here. Hopefully, I'll get an interview!"

"Well, of course, you will! How could they refuse such a fine creation?!"

"Oh, dad…."

"You worked harder than anyone I know to get your degree. The interview is just for formality's sake, you know."

"Yeah, I kn-Dad?" She sniffed the air suspiciously.

"Yeah?"

"What's burning?"

"Oh no! I forgot to take the cake out of the oven!" He thundered down the hall. Sometimes it seemed like he was loved food much more than he loved humans. She took off her shoes and went into her room, ready to pack all of the sentimental things she had left behind when she had gone to college, and either bring them with her to wherever her first job or to leave in her room to be moved to the attic.

She started by moving her baby and teen clothes to a box to be folded neatly and put in the attic. The only thing she kept was a white and green t-shirt, as well as the pink pants she had been wearing _that_ day. Next, she went through all her shoes, throwing away the ones that weren't good enough to give away, and putting the rest into a donation box. She came across a small pink shoe from when she was a toddler, it was in very good condition. She looked for the other one when suddenly, she remembered.

" _I remember you falling into the river, and I remember your little pink shoe!"_

" _So you were the one who carried me back into shallow waters, you saved me! I knew you were good."_

She smiled sadly, the little pink shoe sitting unassumingly in her hands. Placing both into her backpack, she zoomed through the rest of her stuff, keeping a few choice drawings of the spirit world, some of her favourite stuffed animals and the Kate Spade purse, which had been her high school graduation present. Flicking the lights to her room off, she wandered downstairs with her backpack and purse full of the things she simply could not bear to part with.

Walking down the stairs, she heard low murmurs from the sitting room  
'-don't understand why she hasn't found a nice boy to bring home. She has never had a boyfriend before, though, from the way she used to listen to depressing songs, you would have thought that she been broken up with or something." She heard her mom's anxious voice saying. There was a small lull in the conversation.

"I mean, all I want is for her to be happy. As long as she's happy, I'll be happy. A mother _worries,_ you know. She should have met someone by now!"

"Well, my parents met when they were thirty, and they are certainly in love. Give her some time. Eventually, I'm sure she'll find a way to be happy, whether it's with someone or not. I probably wouldn't bring this subject up though. It might seem like you are trying to set her up, which she wouldn't appreciate, I am sure."

Relief flooded her veins as they murmured their agreements. On one hand, she didn't like them talking about her without her knowing, but she prefers that to have to go in depth with her parents about her relationships, slinking quietly up the stairs, she paced for about a minute before walking downstairs once more, taking deliberate care to stomp.

Dinner was a loud affair. With Mamiko and her dad in the room, the table was thankfully never filled with awkward silences. She had quite a few servings of the salmon, eating like it was going to be her last meal. It wasn't, but the food was simply too good not to shovel down the way she was currently doing. As everyone finished their meals at varying rates, Mamiko was the first to ask what was for dessert. With a sheepish look on his face, her dad informed them that they were going to have to buy dessert at the store, due to "technological difficulties" in the kitchen.

Her mom hinted that there was a small store only a ten-minute walk away that one could go to. Realizing her mom was hinting at her, she immediately volunteered to go get the cakes. After issuing her directions, she took her purse and backpack and left for the store. Walking along the road to the store, she got a distinct impression that someone was watching her. However, looking back, she saw no one. Feeling nervous, she picked up her pace, determined to get out of the rural area and into some safer streets.

"Well hello there, pretty girl. What are you doing all alone on the streets at this time? Need some help getting home?" She whipped around and saw a seedy old man leering at her through his rotted teeth. He dashed around her with surprising speed and blocked her path.

"I'm feeling pretty bad today, little girl. Why don't you come here and make me feel better?" Her heart rate rose, seeing the knife lodged in his hand. Suddenly, he made a grab at her. She threw him a swift kick, but seeing as he was still blocking the road, she made a beeline for the forest, where she could easily lose him in the trees. Stumbling and falling the whole way down, she heard his drunken yells, getting closer and closer as he fell down the steep hill as well. When she got to flat ground, she ran, not knowing her destination, but trying to find a way to shake him off, which was pretty hard, seeing how many branches she was crashing into. Seeing a moss and ivy-covered tunnel she ran all the way through, seeing the light on the other side and hoping it meant humans, not looking back to see whether he was still following.

Her breath was coming in heaves now. Clutching the stitch in the side, she watched as the pool of light gradually became larger and larger. She ran and ran, and suddenly, she was brought to an abrupt halt by something soft and furry.

She yelped. " I am so sorry, I didn't mean to bump into you but yo-" Her voice caught. She was looking at one of the yellow duck looking spirits that she had taken care of at the bathhouse, which could mean only one thing.

She was back in the spirit world.

She expected the duck to make a huge fuss, but Duckie, as she dubbed the spirit, simply winked at her and walked away.

Suddenly, someone yelled " Hey! I smell a human….." Realizing they would find her if she stayed there any longer, she dashed out of the station and pressed her back into the wall. Luckily, the station was too chaotic to take action about her yet, so she looked around for a way to the other side of the bank. She considered taking one of the ferries to the other side, but she quickly realized that there wasn't a way to get on and off unnoticed.

She heard noises approaching, wheels on an unpaved road. A ball of light holding a rope with glowing hands went by. The other end of the rope was tied to a cart filled with a bunch of barrels of something. The worker on the ship it was going to yelled for them to hurry up.

She watched the ghost worker pull at his hair.

" If I'm late for delivery, Yubaba will have my head…" Chihiro realized that that was her best opportunity to get across the river. Using the stair bars that led up the boat, she gripped it as best she could. She didn't dare get all the way on the boat. Praying that they wouldn't notice her while dealing with the packages, she clung to the boat rungs even tighter when she felt it gently drift away from shore. Ten minutes later, she pried her clammy fingers off of the bars and landed on the stairs leading to the spirit world.

"I'm really back." She whispered.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

She ran through the town, all the way to the bridge and then realized that she did not have a way to get across without being noticed. She decided the only way was to climb down the steep, jagged rocks, and back up the grassy hill on the other side. After climbing back up the hill , which was somehow a lot harder than the rocks, she paused for a second, making sure that no one was in the small garden before climbing over the small fence. Then, abandoning all fear, she ran as fast as she could to the stairs leading to the boiler room, stepping quickly down the stairs as well. Finally,she reached the boiler room, pulling the heavy metal door open and slipping inside. She cautiously approached the main room, jumping when a jet of steam released from the machine next to her. Walking in, the sootballs all abandoned their work, jumping onto her, causing little black imprints on her legs. She smiled at them, giggling a little when they brushed against her legs like feathers.

"WHATS UP WITH YOU, YOU STUPID LITTLE RUNTS? I DIDN'T SAY IT WAS MEAL TIME! GET BACK TO WORK!" Looking back to get his teapot, he coughed it up when he saw Chihiro.

"Hello, Grandfather!" Chihiro said bravely, marching onto the hardwood floor.

"Grandfa- who are you?A human?! What are you doing here?"

"It's your granddaughter! Don't you remember me?"

"I don't have a- Chihiro! Is it really you? Come here so I can get a closer look." She smiled widely, approaching the old, wizened figure. He smiled.

" You've grown up quite well."

"Thanks, Kamajji" He looked at her with a warning glance.

"What are you doing here, Chihiro? This is no place for humans." He asked worriedly, ignoring the three bath tokens hanging in front of him.

" I don't actually know. I was running away from someone, and I saw some light at the end of the tunnel, and followed it."

" Curious. I've never heard of a human who found the spirit world twice when they were alive. Fate is usually more careful than that." He reached behind her to grab some herbs from the bin above her.

" I'm going to find Yubaba. Could you help me get there safely?"

"Yubaba? Why would you need to find her?"

"Well, I need to settle something with an old friend of mine, and i'll need her permission, and unfortunately, her protection."

"Yubaba barely let you go last time. You may have cost the bathhouse a fortune, but you still managed to attract rich and powerful guests."

" Well, i'm going to strike a deal with her, and she's going to agree!"

"You are either really brave or really reckless, my dear. "

"So, do you have anything to help me?"

"Well, I do have one th-"

"Good gods, Kamaji. It reeks of human in here. What are you- CHIHIRO! Oh my god! You're back!" She shoved his bowl into his hand and squeezed Chihiro tight.

Chihiro laughed giddily. "Rin! I guess you did stay behind. I've missed you so much! Come here, I have to give you another hug." Chihiro opened her arms to envelope Rin, but merely ended up hugging herself. Looking down, she saw the floor, instead of her arms. Smiling, Rin handed her a piece of shrimp that she stole from Kamajis breakfast. All the while, Kamaji was rummaging through his stores of herbs. Grinding a mixture quickly, he funneled all of it into a little bottle and handed it to Chihiro.

"Whats this?" She questioned, taking the bottle from Kamaji cautiously.

"Well, you sprinkle it on your body, and it should mask the smell of human. Just a pinch or so will do." She opened the bottle cautiously. It smelled slightly musty and very pungent. Pinching a small bit of the concoction on herself, she sniffed herself, but couldn't sense any difference. After doing so,however, Rin approached her, sitting down next to where she was standing.

" You don't smell anymore." Chihiro smiled lightly, plopping herself down. In an overly casual voice, she said " So, Haku. How's he doing? What's going on with him?"

Rin's eyes flashed dangerously, and she opened her mouth to speak, but Kamaji sent her a glance, saying " That's something he should tell you himself."

Catching this exchange, Chihiro felt the nervous ball in her stomach tighten. Was there something they weren't telling her?.

"Rin?" Someone called. Rin's eyes went wide, and she pushed Chihiro towards the door outside.

"You can't be seen here. Go to find Yubaba somehow. If you see someone approaching, hide under the bridge. DO NOT BE SEEN. Got it?"

"I-ok but-" Rin glanced backwards, hearing the footsteps getting closer and closer.

"You're going to be ok. Remember to cross the bridge with a huge pack of spirits, understand? Blend in." One more shove, and Chihiro was outside, the wind blowing her ponytail in all directions. She leaned against the stonewall, feeling the cool cement on her hands. _Click- Clack. Click-Clack._ The sound of heels stepping down stairs reached Chihiros ears, and she quickly looked for an escape route. Going over the bridge was no longer going to work, since that was the only way back quickly.

 _If you see someone approaching, hide under the bridge._

She took a deep breath, and found her way down, all the way to the bridge, going through sweet smelling bushes and climbing down large rocks. Finally reaching the underside of the bridge, she sprinkled a little bit more of the dust on herself, and sat on a big rock facing the river running beneath the water. She watched the river quietly, seeing the quicksilver fish jumping in and out of the river, occasionally flopping onto the earth, and wriggling so vigorously that they flopped right back in. It seemed like a different world down here, away from all the noise and chaos surrounding the bathhouse. Suddenly, she looked up, hearing someone softly land on the grassy bank. Jumping down from her sitting rock, she hid behind it, sprinkling herself with more powder just in case She peeked out from behind the rock, letting out an eep of surprise when she saw who it was. There was no mistaking that hair-cut and those eyes.

She was, without out a doubt, looking at Haku.


	5. Chapter 5

Jumping out from behind the rock, she made to greet him, to see him, to just make sure that he was alive.

"-Haku!" Quickly, she ducked behind the rock, but she thought she saw his green eyes flash in her direction. He didn't approach or anything though. Making sure that she kept crouching, she looked towards the other voice she had heard.

It was a girl. Not an ordinary girl. _A match for Haku._

She had lovely brown skin, the colour of coffee and shiny black hair that was put up in a fancy updo done up with a lovely golden brooch that gleamed in the setting sun. But what stuck out about her the most was the ethereal glow that she gave off. She radiated power and beauty.

Haku turned around quickly, and the girl gave him a small hug.

"Lets go."

He nodded silently, before walking to the bridge with her.

Chihiro… honestly didn't know how she felt right now. She had spent most of her life waiting to find him again, and now that she did, she somehow felt worse.

 _What did you expect?_ A small voice in her mind asked her. _Did you think he would wait for you?_

She shook the voice off, but couldn't stop the sadness welling inside her. _I need to talk to him. Even if just to get closure._

She stood up, and brushed the dirt off of her. There was no time to waste moping around, even if that's all that she felt like doing.

No.

If she wanted to stay here, she needed to prove to herself that she wasn't weak. ( _But did she have a reason to stay anymore?)_ But most importantly right now, she needed to convince Yubaba to let her stay. She dropped an extra dash of the human smell powder on herself, and then crouched at the edge of the bridge, waiting for her chance to cross.

Chihiro waited and waited, but she couldn't seem to find a large enough group of spirits. She was sitting on the floor, watching the spirits when she saw whom she believed was the duck spirit that had winked at her before. But, instead of walking across the bridge, the spirit approached where she was hiding.

Chihiro panicked slightly. _Can I trust it?_ Before she could decide the answer though, the duck spirit touched her head lightly . She felt her body dissipate into small particles. It was a very uncomfortable feeling, and she squeezed her eyes shut and willed the feeling to go away. Gradually, it dissipated, but when she opened her eyes, everything was tinted ...a pale yellow?

She was struck with a sudden revelation. _I am inside the spirits belly…_ She tried to move her arms but they were unmoveable. So were her feet. The duck spirit then proceeded to walk across the bridge, slowly waddling, Chihiro suspended in the spirits stomach. The frog spirits and ladies waiting all bowed politely as the spirit walked past, clearly not suspicious of anything. Ignoring all of the spirit waiters who were trying to accommodate Ducky, as Chihiro had dubbed the spirit, Ducky walk through the place, to somewhere much less crowded. When they reached an elevator, Ducky reached inside and pulled Chihiro back out. Winking once again, Ducky waved goodbye when Chihiro got inside the elevator. As she pulled the lever to bring her to a higher level, she looked out once more to see where Ducky was.

But Ducky had disappeared.

It took her a while, but she finally found another elevator, that took her all the way to the top. She walked slowly down the hallway, looking at the ornate statues and elegant gold that looked pompous and over the top to her. Stopping at the large doors, she took a deep breath and got ready to knock. But the doors flew open.

"I've been waiting for you."

And with that, she was drawn into the room by an unseen force.

A/N: To anyone who has read or reviewed, thank you SO much! It means so much, and makes my day!


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 Baby Bou

Chihiro felt herself stop abruptly, and she quickly righted herself, standing up straight. She needed to make a good impression on Yubaba.

"It's been a rather long time,hasn't it _Sen_?You no longer look like the scrawny runt that I came to know, but there's still a certain….. _stubbornness_ about you."

Chihiros nose flared slightly at the use of her old name, but maintained her composure.

"Yubaba. I would like to request a job here."

With a bang that rattled the tables, her hair flying out of her messy bun into long, medusa like strands, she screamed, "Why would I want you to work for me? All you did was cause me mess after mess after mess!"

Suddenly, there was the noise of crying from the back room. Yubaba stopped in her tracks, eyes going wide, the fire going out them, her hair slithering gently down her back to rest.

" My baby." She whispered. "Stay here."

Chihiro had no such plans. She followed Yubaba down the gilded hallways and expertly carved walls. Yubaba started cooing. "Hello my sweet baby…." She nestled down into the pile of silk covered pillows, her large white underwear covered in jewels sticking up and blocking Chihiros view.

"Hi Bou!" Chihiro stated loudly. There was a noise of confusion from the pillows, and then a sudden eruption, like a shaken bottle of fizz.

"Chihiro!" Bou screamed, before proceeding to hug Chihiro very hard.

"I missed you too."

Bou looked between Chihiro and Yubaba. Yubaba was glaring sharply at Chihiro.

"Mama?"

"Hmm... Oh yes dear?"

"Chihiros come here to stay with us forever and ever right?"

Yubaba puffed up much like an angry marshmallow, and then deflated just as quickly with the look of hopefulness in her only sons eyes.

"Fine. But she can only babysit you some of the time, got it?' But Bou had started ignoring Mama since the moment he heard Chihiro could stay, bouncing up and down on the pillows, making the room shake slightly. Chihiro smiled. _Some things never change_

A/N I am so sorry for not updating! I really appreciate each and every one of your reviews. LOVE YOU GUYS AND have a good december! 3333


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